The Ladies got a huge 1-0 away win against the Champions and current holders of all the domestic trophies thanks to a fantastic Jordan Nobbs free-kick and now have a small chance of winning the Spring Series.
2The match
For this huge game, Pedro Losa chose a 4-3-3 system and the following starting 11:
Van Veenendaal; Scott, Patten, Wubben-Moy, Janssen; Williamson, Nobbs, Van De Donk; Carter, Mead, O’Reilly. The substitute were Moorhouse, Quinn, Williams, McCabe, Humphrey, Kelly, Taylor
City nearly opened the scoring from a corner as Jill Scott backheeled the ball from close range onto the post. Janssen then had the first Arsenal chance with a 20-yard free-kick that was deflected by the wall, wrong footed Hourihan but ended up just over the bar.
Mead then had a huge chance after the City centre back turned over the ball but when sent through by O’Reilly, she just shot wide. Parris then sent Bronze on the run on the right wing, her cutback evaded Duggan who just needed to tap the ball into the empty net.
0-0 was the scoreline at half-time.
City also made the first chance of the second half when Stanway picked out Jill Scott for an unmarked header but her effort was not powerful enough to surprise Van Veenendaal. Nobbs got her first good chance of the day with another deflected shot that went close shortly after.
Arsenal’s goal came from a needless foul by Walsh on Van De Donk with a free kick awarded 30 yards from goal.
Superbly hit with the outside of the boot to get away from the diving Hourihan Nobbs’ effort flew into the top corner.
1-0 for the Arsenal in the 75th minute.
https://twitter.com/btsportfootball/status/868825177060237312
City had a good chance to equalise through Jill Scott down the right wing when her cutback found Duggan. Luckily, she who couldn’t divert the ball with enough power to surprise Van Veenendaal.
It was the first home defeat for City since April 2015 and a huge mental boost for the team prior to the new season.
Hopefully, with Mediema and a few more signings the squad will be strong enough to compete from September 2017.
We should also expect a handful of departures from the Development Team as many of those players won’t get a first team chance and the fringe first team players will need games.